


funhouse mirrors

by peachsneakers



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst and Fluff, Brotherly Bonding, Described Violence, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Intrusive Thoughts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-14
Updated: 2019-07-14
Packaged: 2020-06-28 02:09:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 658
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19802548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/peachsneakers/pseuds/peachsneakers
Summary: He's supposed to be happy. He's revealed himself to Thomas. He's fine.





	funhouse mirrors

**Author's Note:**

> remus says some pretty violent stuff because of intrusive thoughts so be careful

When Roman sinks down, he is furious. The back of his head still throbs from whatever his brother decided to hit him with, and he's seething over the fact that Remus directly disobeyed him. Not only has he kept Thomas up all night with intrusive thoughts, he's _shown_ himself to Thomas, out of the blue. When he makes it to their shared corner of the imagination, he expects to find a gloating Remus. A loud and hyperactive, smirking, smug Remus who Roman would be hard pressed not to feed to the dragon witch.

Instead, Remus is huddled in the corner, arms wrapped around his knees and head down. Roman frowns. Is it a trick? Some kind of prank where Remus will leap up, fresh deodorant in hand, as he taunts Roman for believing that he could ever not be okay?

"Remus?" He calls anyway, because he can't just leave his brother like that. He might not be Patton or Logan or Virgil, but he's Roman's _brother_. His _twin_. All the irritation in the world pales in comparison to how he feels about Remus.

Remus lifts his head. His eyes are hollow and red-rimmed and his makeup is smeared. Now that Roman's come closer, he can see that Remus is shaking.

"Remus, what's wrong?" Roman tries. Remus only wraps his arms around his knees tighter.

"Have you ever thought of killing your brother?" He asks. His voice is so full of forced cheer, Roman recoils. He sounds _ghastly_. "Have you ever thought of your brother's brains going squish under your mace? Of your brother's skull cracking? Of-"

"Remus, stop," Roman interrupts. He feels sick. He crouches down next to his brother, carefully out of range should Remus turn physical. He has sometimes before, when he gets like that. Roman blamed the resulting wound on the dragon witch and felt only a twinge of guilt over lying to Patton. Deceit didn't even smirk over it. Perhaps because he knew that Roman was protecting his brother? Roman didn't know. Deceit always kept his cards very close to his chest.

"I don't want to," Remus whispers, and Roman knows that he doesn't mean an answer to Roman's words. "I don't-" He bites his lip hard, his teeth digging into the skin so hard his bottom lip splits open. Roman winces, but Remus doesn't even flinch.

"I know," Roman says. "I know you don't want to." All of his previous anger over Remus's appearance to Thomas dissipates into the ether. "You- you didn't have a choice over showing Thomas those intrusive thoughts, did you?" He asks, already knowing the answer. Remus shakes his head.

"Too loud," he says. "Sorry, I- What do you think would hit the ground first, a baby or a safe?"

"Let's not find out," Roman says, struggling not to make a face. It will only hurt his brother and that's one thing he tries very hard _not_ to do. "Come on. Do you want to watch some Disney? We can sit on my bed and eat popcorn," he wheedles. Remus nods shakily and uncoils himself, wincing as he stumbles to his feet. Roman helps him up, frowning when he sees the fingernail-inflicted scratches across Remus's hands. Some of them look like they need to be tended to.

Later, Roman decides. Later, he will ask Patton if he can help Remus out. He's sure that Patton will help, especially now that Logan's explained Remus and what intrusive thoughts actually _are_. And Patton's good at fixing up injuries.

But now, it is time for Disney movies and hugs and freshly popped popcorn and gentle redirecting every thought that Remus spouts. He's not stable when he's like this, and Roman has no intention of sending Remus back to his own room, where the Dark Sides hang out.

"Thank you," Remus says. Roman smiles grandly at his brother.

"It is only what a prince- a brother- would do," Roman says. 

He means it.

**Author's Note:**

> check out my tumblr at candied-peach ♡


End file.
